Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust
by Mary Randolph J.D.
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mary Randolph J.D.Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-02-29
ISBN: 1413306551
Number of pages: 507
Publisher: NOLO
Book Reviews of Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust
Book Review: An estate administration and settlement book with lots of good content, but kind of sloppy when it comes to organization!
Summary: 4 Stars
I think this book is wonderful. It is packed with content. And it's very informative. However, I wasn't particularly impressed with its organization. There are many books that could be written to help an executor do his or her job in adminstering and settling a decedent's estate, among them would be the following titles:
EXECUTOR DUTIES
1. An executor's guide about an executor's role, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty
2. An executor's guide on what to do when the decedent dies
3. An executor's guide to what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law
4. An executor's guide to estate property
5. An executor's guide to estate liabilities
6. An executor's guide to professionals who help in the administration of an estate
7. An executor's guide to services offered and performed by estate attorneys
8. An executor's guide to settling a trust (if the executor is a trustee)
THE LAW
9. An executor's guide on how to read a will
10. An executor's guide to the laws of intestacy
11. An executor's guide to probate procedure
12. An executor's guide to guardianship law
13. An executor's guide to disclaimers for post-death estate planning
14. An executor's guide to Louisiana custom, law, and procedure regarding an executor's duties
TAXES
15. An executor's guide to federal estate taxes
16. Case studies: Completed Federal Estate Tax Forms
17. An executor's guide to state inheritance taxes
18. Case Studies: Completed State Inheritance Tax Forms
19. An executor's guide to generation skipping taxes
20. Case studies: Completed Generation Skipping Tax Forms
21. An executor's guide to income taxes
22. Case studies: Completed Income Tax Forms
The instant book being reviewed was close to 500 pages long. Each one of the suggested books above could easily be 500+ pages long if written well and completely. In fact, #s 10 and 11 could be done for each state and probably be 500+ pages each. The point is, that for the instant book being reviewed to get a 5-star rating it has to be well organized so it can act as a springboard for the reader into other resources. In my humble opinion, this book does not force the reader to quickly and easily grasp the material presented. Accordingly, I have bumped down its star rating. But don't take my word for it. Judge for yourself. Does the book cover the 22 topics listed herein above in a clear and organized manner?
This book totes itself as an "excutor's" guide. But I think it is better defined as an adminstration and settlement guide for executors AND TRUSTEES. Thus, I would change the title a bit to make it more representative of what the book covers.
I think Part I (Getting Ready) along with chapters 3 (The First Week), 4 (The First Month), and 9 (Managing Money & Paying Bills) should be moved to the end of the book and renamed Appendix A. And I think the title of the new Appendix A should be "Roles, Responsibilities, & Fiduciary Duty." I would move chapters 6 and 7 to the end of the book and call them Appendix B. Reading a Will is something an executor must do, but it is ancillary to his or her roles, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty. And I think Part IV (Getting More Help) should be made Appendix C. The current Appendix A should be renamed Appendix D.
I think the middle of the book should be reordered as follows:
8. Taking inventory
>>5. Life Ins, SS, & other benefits
>>15. Retirement plans
>>16. POD assets
>>13. Survivorship property
>>14. Community property
12. Property that doesn't go through probate
18. The regular probate process
17. Special procedures for small estates
11. Taxes
I'm not sure where Chapter 10 belongs? It seems to be just thrown into the middle of the book. I think it should at least have been positioned somewhere close to Chapter 20 (Managing a Child's Trust). 4 stars!
Summary of Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust
Settling an estate can be like moving through a maze -- let The Executor's Guide lead the way. If you're faced with wrapping up the affairs of a loved one who has died, you may feel overwhelmed by all the work ahead -- especially when you're grieving. But with the right legal and practical information, you can do it. The Executor's Guide will show you how to get organized, get the help you need and make progress one step at a time. Let it help you navigate an unfamiliar land of legal procedures and terminology. It explains how to prepare for the job of executor or trustee, the first steps to take, claiming life insurance, Social Security and other benefits, making sense of a will, what to do if there is no will, how to determine whether probate is necessary, caring for children and their property, taxes, an overview of probate court proceedings, dealing with family members, handling trusts, looking up your state's laws and working with lawyers, appraisers, accountants and other experts. The 3rd edition contains updated tables outlining key points of each state's laws, the latest information on estate taxes and worksheets that help you stay organized and on track. (20090101)Personal Finance Books
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